Support for neon tubes



Jan. 18, 1949. M. FLETCHER 2,459,692

SUPPORT FOR NEON TUBES Filed Dec. 21, 1944 INVENTOR I i s I, E i W I 701$ F- 5 Ti ATTORNEY Milton Fletaker Patented Jan. 18, 1949 Fletcher, New'yprlalNi- Application December 213 mi'igsri'alinu 9220? inventionrrelates provements in'aa supportfifior neon I tub r new and; useful 'l3heiinv'ention..has forarr-object,the construe;

tiom oi": a support which: is madefromv asingle piece'rof sheet metallahdxwhioh is=formed withi a fiat: lug-sportionibm which. it may beofastened toa base; and; a: ;-cy1indrioal=. portion: associated with therlug portionin: a certain; wayand arranged,

tor-support; the lower: end of the glass-redeem erally used to support neon tubes.

More: specifically the invention. proposes to forms the. cylindrical portion by forming: it as a continuation from: the-:flat-lug portion, and it is: proposedatoi arrangathis cylindrical; portiom with a a3 spliifi alon-g the longitudinalv side which is.- opposed to :the lugeportion. Furthermore it: isconi template'd to cohstructthissplit with projections fo'rmecirwith?outwardly;- extending; offset ends; by;

which the projtectionsz maybe: gripped and pressed-together to-resi1ient1y: open-.thei cylindrical: portiom asmall: amount to-release the glass rod i .Still: further. theinventiom proposes to con struct the+cyiindrica1=portion and glass rod. in a certain: way, i so: as i to facilitate:v the: gripping; of

after these-parts when -the rod? isslightlys turned it-isinEpositiomuponLthe said support;

Still further. the invention: proposes the,- cone structiomof a1 deviceias-mentioned whichissimpleand durable and: which? may" be. manufactured and sold at air'easonable cost;

A still: further object or the: invention: isptoif construct ther cylindricai; portion in adjustable relation with: the" lug; portion to:; accommodate: glass'rodsoi various heights" For further comprehension of' theinventionj v andiofrtheobjects andadvantagesithereohoreier-= encerwillib'e hadi-itoi the following: description-and, accompanying drawings; and to the: appended claims in =whicl't-the-various: novel features of: the inventionz-arermore particularly set: forth. 1

In the accompanying drawing: forming. a: material -p'a rt'of thisdisclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a support for neon tubes? constructett-acc'ordance with this invention. I

'Figez is arr en'd elevationai vi'ew loolingi from the right hand side of Fig. 1. 1 i

Fig. 3 isianenlargednplantview or the metal portion of the support.

Fig.4"is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectionarl View taken on the line 4-4111 Fig.1..

Eig. 51=is-a1b0tt0m view of thergl'ass rod usedl imthe support. 7 Eig, 6iis raidevelopedfiviemofithewmetaliportion oflth'e support. 4 V v Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a support for "I;!4P;::isr associated withithezcyli'ndrioai portion v I 2I 2 Claims. (o1. zips-0t neonituhes: constructed ima'ccordiance': with! ansother embodiment; ofzzthis'invention'.

Fig: 8i'is anx'end elevational :viewof Fig.17i Figs 9 is a -perspecti-ve view ofzthezsupportt Fig; i'flsiss'az similar view 'tor-Eigahbut illustra te ingcaifnrth'erzmodification. ottiie= inventionm Figs 1-1: ands 12; t resperspeciiive viewsro'fi' parts:

shown iniFigulOu I The-supportifonneon tubesoinaooordanoerwithc.

this invention; includes: as single pie'ce? ofi sheet t metal having; at zflatx lugi oportionz'l mrformedi with reinforcing ribs H]?- ands an opening, Ill for:

fastening elementinoti snowmen: thesdrawiiigatoi attach: the support" 11033113358? Therlu'gxportionclfln continuessinto one sidevofa the. bottom: eugeeoflaa cylindrical. portionflii. 'Ithiszcylinurieali portion;

hasi its: axis at right. angles: tozthe'rplane' ofs theii 111g: 102:: p o

-'l2he:-cy1indricalrportion: I 2 iszsaisoi formed he asslitr, I 3 extending longitudinaiiyxalongr the side whichrisiremote' from. the: lugrportion: 1:2 This slit: portionrl 3iis12arran'ged so: thatithe 'm'aterial ati thessides of? itr has topramd; bottormportionszi i3 and i-3P; respectively; which; continue into over;

lapping; projecting; portonssiormedz with ofiset' endsl 3s ""and 13 respectively; By which the" '2 uprczifecting; portions; he: pressed together: so

as l to:- slightlyr" open: up: the? tubular-"formation of the'f tubular portion"; 12;-

A row l-d havingiranheadf portion: M -to which'ia neomtuberiss tofbe'i secured; andfa bottomrporti'on in zaiparticulanwayt More specificai-lyithe cylin drical portion 12 is not truely cylindricalbut somewhat: ellipticahi' This: mayi'tie noted from carefully inspecting". Fig" 3" ai1dirmt1ng' t t 115,2 widerata thesmaiiorr axis." indicatedi by the letters AF and: 13,1 while it: is? somewhat: narroweralong thewminronax'is indin'ated bythe letters 6 andDA The bottom portiomofil'tlie rod M iS formed withrseverall sectionsg'xsepaarated from" each other which; whiie: true'ly circular; is: of a". slightly smailer di'ameteh than the upper portion of the rodLi'and offset: diametrically oppositeof'thesemtion l 4 '1 Consequently; in end elevational view four-124866 F 5} in-whichthe'major axisexte ds-- across the direction of the offset of the sectionsamix the? minor axis wat right angles to this direction.

-'Eh'e=':lower portion of th'e ro'df F4 may be turned that their major: axis: a't -its bottom end; is

cylindrical; portion [2 s Them by; applying fight? the: same direction as the; major aXis of pressure to squeeze together the projectingends slightly sprung and then the bottom end of the rod 14 engaged therein. The projections l3 and I3 may then be released so that the cylindrical portion [2 grips the lower portion of the rod M. Then the rod l4 may be turned through 90 degrees, by gripping it at its end l4. This will cause the major axis with the bottom end of the rod to align with the minor axisof the cylindrical portion l2. there will be extra. gripping pressure by which thz:1 cylindrical portion grips and supports the ro I In Fig. 6 a developed view has been shown of the blank used in forming the metal portion of the support. This blank includes a fiat lug portion in having an opening II, which in the finished product forms the lugs portion of the device. This lug portion l I is connected by a throat area I6to the main body l2 of the blank which in the finished product forms the cylindrical portion. At the sides of the throat portion Hi, there are cutaway areas I! for the purpose of facilitating bending of the blank at the throat area. The ends of the blank are formed with project ing portions I3 which in the finished article form the projections I3 and I3. The dot and dash line's l8 indicate where the ends I 3 are bent to form the offset end portions. l3" and I3 In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, a support for neon tubes has been illustrated which is formed from a single piece of sheet metal and which includes a fiat lug portion 20 by which it may be secured to a support or base, and the lug portion 20 continues into one side of the bottom edge of a cylindrical portion 2|, This cylindrical portion has its axis at right angles to the plane of the lug portion 20.

The cylindrical portion 2 lis formed with a slit 26 extending longitudinally along the side remote from. the lug portion 20. This slit 26 is arranged so that the material at the' sides of it have top and bottom offset portions 2m and 2"), respectively, set in short distances in the top'and bottom edges of the cylindrical portion. These portions 2 l and 2 l are offset relative to each other in a way so that they may be forced towards each other by engaging one thumb and forefinger against these parts and applying pressure.

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the prior'iorm and the same parts may be recognized by the same reference numerals.

In Figs. 10, 11 and '12, a cylindrical portion [2" is shown with a vertical, extension 22 which is adapted to slide in a-channel shape base member 23 so that the grooves 22 formed in the vertical extension 22 are engaged by the inturned flanges 23*- of the channel shape member 23.

The extension 22 may be raised to any desired height with relation to member 23 and secured in position by a nut 24 which engages the threaded portion of bolt 25. This bolt 25 passes through a circular opening 22 in the extension 22 and through a vertical slot 23 in the member 23.

The member 23 is provided with a flat lug portion l similar to that shown in the previous figures.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

Having thus described my. invention, what I The result will be that claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An article of the class described, comprising a clip of resilient material including a cylindrical portion formed along one side with a longitudinal split so that the cylindrical portion may be expanded to permit the insertion and removal of one end portion of a rod, said cylindrical portion being elliptical in cross-section, and a rod having an end portion engaged in said cylindrical portion, said end portion engaged within said cylindrical portion being formed with spaced circumferential grooves dividing said end portion into sections, one of said sections being ofi'set laterally in one direction and the other being oflset laterally in the opposite direction to combine to give said end portion an elliptical configuration conforming to the elliptical cross-sectional shape of said cylindrical portion, whereby said end portion of said rod is inserted into said cylindrical portion'with the major axis of its elliptical formation parallel to the major axis of the elliptical cylindrical portion after which said rod is turned through ninety degrees to extend the major axis of the-elliptical formation of said end portion" parallel to the minor axis of the cylindrical portion to be more rigidly gripped by said cylindrical portion.

2. An article of the class described, comprising a clip of resilient material including an elongated lug provided with strengthening ribs and an opening for a fastening means, a cylindrical portion formed perpendicularly to one end of said lug, said cylindrical portion formed along one side thereof with a longitudinal slit so that the cylindrical portion may be expanded to permit the insertion and removal of one end portion of a rod, extended edges along the edges defining the slit to facilitate expansion of the cylindrical portion, said cylindrical portion being elliptical in crosssectiomand a rod having an end portion thereof engaged in said cylindrical portion, said rod end portion engaged within said cylindrical portion being formed with spaced circumferential grooves dividing said end portion into longitudinally spaced sections, one of said sections being offset laterally in one direction and the other section being offset laterally in the opposite direction to combine to give said end portion an overall elliptical configuration conforming to the elliptical shape of said cylindrical clip portion, whereby said end portion of said rod is inserted into said cylindrical portion with the major axis of its elliptical formation parallel to the major axis of the elliptical cylindricalportion after'which said rod is turned through to extend the major axis of the elliptical portion of said rod end por- -tion parallel to the minor axis of the elliptical cylindrical portion to be more rigidly gripped by said cylindrical portion.

MILTON FLETCHER.

REFERENCES CITED 

